On numerous occasions, Western authorities had questioned the reality of the ability of the Chinese DF-21 and DF-26 ballistic missiles to hit a moving target, while China argued that these missiles were designed to eliminate aircraft carriers. long-distance westerners.
It seems of the last tests of the DF-26 missile shed some light on the operation of its guidance, and on its ability to touch a building such as an aircraft carrier. Indeed, during this test, the Russian forces would have controlled the trajectory of the missile in flight, so as to redirect it towards its target. According to the advanced elements, the warhead of the DF-26, having 4 imposing control surfaces, can thus be controlled during its terminal phase, to precisely reach its target.
In other words, the DF-26 does not have a seeker, but is controlled by air, naval or space means, to readjust its trajectory towards its target. And that makes a lot of sense!
Indeed, a ballistic warhead penetrating the lower layers of the atmosphere at very high speed generates a plasma that largely blocks radar waves, making control by seeker very difficult. To benefit from terminal control by seeker, the missile must therefore first slow down, making it vulnerable to the anti-aircraft defense systems currently in service.
To overcome this problem, the DF-26 does not carry a seeker, but is controlled from a remote source, which sends impact coordinates to the missile updated according to changes in the target. Since the control is carried out from the rear of the missile, the plasma does not block transmissions. In addition, the missile cannot be “decoyed” by the warships’ onboard electronic warfare systems.
This still requires having capable means to precisely monitor the position of the target and its developments. This could be the role of long-range stealth drones, submarines, or satellites. But these systems can be detected, or even destroyed, by the escort of the aircraft carrier itself.
The DF-26 is therefore effectively capable of reaching a moving target such as an aircraft carrier at great distance, the system being given to have a range of 4000 km. But, in the case of a conflict, the use of this weapon system will be very difficult, because the adversary will take great care to prevent the precise location of its capital ship.
In itself, it does not represent threats that are very different from the threats that exist today, such as submarine fleets or long-range bombers. And it is not, as has sometimes been suggested, the ultimate nemesis signaling the imminent disappearance of the aircraft carrier either.